Throttle control



Nov. 26, 1963 5. J. LIESEN THROTTLE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April 3, 1961 INVENTOR.

I w 7 i 52 68681) L/esen BY r l I Arron/vars Nov. 26, 1963 5. J. LIESEN THROTTLE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1961 INVENTOR. 5/ 5 "4m, BY

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,111,851 THROTTLE CONTROL Stephen J. Liesen, 1430 Mertz Road, Caro, Mich. Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 100,309 9 Claims. (Cl. 74-2) This invention relates to control devices and more particularly to a throttle control for internal combustion engines and the like.

In the operation of trucks, tractors, and similar equipment equipped with winches, diggers, hydraulic pull jacks, tailgates, etc., it is necessary that the operator leaving the truck for any reason, must return to the cab each time it is necessary to advance or retard the engine throttle. This is generally unsatisfactory and I have, therefore, provided a very simple and positive actuating and locking mechanism which permits the operator to advance and/ or retard the truck or tractor throttle, by remote control, without returning to the cab.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism, operable by the magnetic action of a solenoid to move the mechanism to predetermined locked position and be there held until the solenoid is again energized to unlock and release said mechanism to permit its return to original position.

Another object of the invention is to design a very simple, practical and inexpensive locking mechanism, solenoid operated, to alternatively move the locking mechanism to locked and unlocked position, said mechanism remaining in locked position after the solenoid is de-energized, thus eliminating the period of holding by the solenoid, eliminating solenoid heating, failures, and replacements, and the costly down time resulting therefrom.

Another object is to provide a solenoid actuated, throttle operating rod locking mechanism, for alternating locking and unlocking the mechanism when moved to and from its so-called run position, said lock holding said rod in its run position after the solenoid has been de-energized, so that the mechanism is remote controlled, making it unnecessary for the operator to return to the cab each time the throttle is retarded or advanced.

Still another object is to design a locking mechanism composed of a minimum number of parts, most of which can be in the form of stampings, all of which can be readily produced and assembled and at minimum cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a solenoid with the locking mechanism mounted thereon, the locking mechanism being shown in locked position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l showing the locking mechanism in unlocked position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the unlocking or disengaging action of the trigger and dog mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagrammatic view showing the mechanism connected to a conventional carburetor.

FIG. 6 is a detail, edge elevational view showing the bifurcated head of the control lever.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an auxiliary switch and connection to the solenoid.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings where- 3 ,111,851 Patented Nov. 26, 1963 in is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the number 10 indicates the dashboard of a truck or other "ehicle (not shown), and on which the solenoid and locking mechanism is mounted, but it will be understood that it can be mounted on a vehicle engine or in any other convenient location on the vehicle.

The solenoid S and its connection to the locking mechanism is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, said solenoid being of conventional design, and is provided with a pair of longitudinally projecting threaded posts 10 having a stop plate .11 secured thereon by means of nuts d2. A spring retracted plunger 13 is mounted in the solenoid S and has a cap 14 with a reduced pin section 15 thereon, which pin extends through and is slidable in an opening 16 provided in said stop plate, a spring 17 being interposed between the cap '14 and the end of the solenoid to assist in the retraction of the plunger.

The opposite end 18 of the plunger 13 is of reduced diameter as shown, and a link member 19 is pivotally secured thereto by means of pin 20 and to which the lock operating mechanism is connected in 'a manner to be presently described.

The locking mechanism L is mounted on the end of the solenoid opposite the posts 10, and comprises a frame F, which includes transversely spaced apart parallel end bars 2121, between which the one end of the upper and lower bars 22 and 23 are interposed and secured in any desired manner. The free ends of the members 22 and 23 are turned at right angles as at 24-, and these turned ends are welded or otherwise secured to the housing of the solenoid.

A control lever 25 is pivotally mounted on the frame F at a point intermediate its length by means of the bolt 25, and a throttle actuating lever 27 is pivotally connected to the lower end of control lever 25 by means of the pin 23. The head of the control lever 25 is of enlarged area, and is bifurcated as at 29 to accommodate the top bar 22 of the frame F therebetween.

One edge of the bifurcated end section 29 of the throttle lever is recessed as at 30 to form shoulders 31 and 32, and a locking dog 33 is pivotally mounted between the legs of said bifurcated section by means of a pin 34, said pin extending through a slotted opening 35 provided in the dog member 33 and for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. This dog 33 is formed with an offset shouldered section 36, the upper end 37 being shaped to provide clearance when the lever is swung, and the upper corner section 38 is substantially square for engagement with a notch 39 provided on the lower edge of the bar 22 when the mechanism is in locked position. A spring 40 is interposed between the shoulders 31 and 36 to tension the dog 33 and 'a spring 41 is mounted on the pin 26 and bears against the section 29 with the free end 41a in engagement with the end bars 21, said spring tending to force the head of the control lever toward the solenoid and retard the throttle.

The locking dog 33 is pivotally mounted between the bifurcated sections of the head 29 by means of the pin 34, and a jaw 42 is formed on the one edge of said dog adjacent the lower end thereof, said jaw being interlockingly 'engageable with a similar jaw 43 provided on a trigger plate 44 which is pivotally mounted between the bifurcated sections 29 by means of a pin 45, and to the link 19 by means of pin 46, said trigger plate having its upper edge cut away as shown at 47, to accommodate a pin 48 provided in the bifurcated sections 29, said pin limiting the pivotal travel of the trigger plate which is pivotally connected to one end of the link 19, and is operable only on the alternate or unlocking stroke of the solenoid. A control box C can be mounted on the engine, auxiliary apparatus, vehicle frame or in any other desired location, but I have shown it mounted on the vehicle dashboard D, a line 4% being connected to the solenoid S at 51 and to one terminal of a switch 52 and thence to ground, and a switch button 53 is provided as usual. Another line 54- is connected to the solenoid at 55, thence to the battery B and thence to ground, so that when the switch button 53 is actuated the solenoid will be energized so that the plunger 18 forces the locking mechanism outwardly to locked position (see FIG. 1 of the drawings), and when the switch button is released, the solenoid is de-energized and the plunger 13 is returned to original position, but the locking mechanism will remain locked, with the throttle in pro-selected position until such time as it is desired to retard same, and this is accomplished by again actuating the switch button 53 to again close the switch 52, and energize the solenoid to perform the next alternate stroke which unlocks the locking mechanism, the spring 43 returning the solenoid plunger to original position and retarding the throttle accordingly. An adjustable stop 56 is provided on the rod 27 to permit adjustment of the throttle setting, and a lever connection 57 is solid on the rod 58 with the rod 27 slidable therein, locking movement of the control lever serving to advance the throttle and hold it in set position until the mechanism is unlocked. One end of rod 58 is connected to carburetor lever 59 which is mounted on the carburetor E as usual, and a spring 64 is connected to the end of rod 58 and to a post 61 as shown.

A bracket 62 is provided on the dash It) as usual and a link 63 is pivotally connected thereto at a point intermediate its length, one end being connected to the foot throttle T by means of link 64, the opposite end being pivotally connected to the end of rod 58 in the usual manner.

In practice and when it is desired to actuate an auxiliary apparatus (not shown) and at predetermined set speed, the operator first actuates switch 52 to permit energization of the solenoid from the vehicle battery. He then sets the adjustable stop 56 to a pre-selected throttle setting to drive the auxiliary apparatus at the desired speed; the operator then operates the switch 52 to energize the solenoid and move the locking mechanism; this rocks the control lever on the pin 26, forcing the bifurcated head outwardly and with it the spring pressed latch member 33, so that the head 37 of the dog engages the jaw 39 on the frame, and upward pressure of the spring serves to hold it in set position. The solenoid plunger 13 then returns to original off position under influence of spring 17.

Rocking of the lever 25 actuates the rod 58 to open the throttle, and when it is desired to retard the throttle, the operator again actuates the switch 52; this rocks the trigger plate 44 on the pin so that the jaw 43 engages the jaw 42 on the dog, forcing the dog downwardly and out of engagement with the jaw 39, thus the head will be returned to original position by action of spring 17.

The pin 48 limits rocking movement of the trigger plate 44, and it will thus be obvious that the solenoid plunger, on the outward travel of its first stroke, serves only to move the mechanism to locked position, the return travel serving to move the plunger to off position and tie-energize the solenoid; it is in no manner a holding operation.

When it is desired to unlock the mechanism, the switch 52 is again actuated to energize the solenoid for its next alternate stroke (see FIG. 4 of the drawings), outward travel of the plunger causes the jaw 43 on the trigger plate to engage the jaw 42 on the dog 33 forcing it downwardly and out of engagement with the notch 39 on the frame, and the mechanism then moves back to off position and retards the throttle accordingly.

It will, of course, be understood that the control can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle and that various changes, arrangements and substitution of equivalent parts and means may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

'From the foregoing description it will be clearly obvious that I have perfected a very simple, effective and economical throttle control apparatus for operating auxiliary equipment by remote control.

I claim:

1. In a throttle setting and locking mechanism for internal combustion engines comprising, a solenoid having a frame mounted thereon, a locking mechanism rockably mounted on said frame and including a throttle control lever, said mechanism having a spring pressed dog releas-a'bly engageable with said frame, manually 0-perable means for energizing said solenoid to swing the mechanism to locked position with said frame and set the throttle in predetermined position of adjustment, means for releasing said locking means when the solenoid is again energized, and resilient means for forcing said locking mechanism and solenoid to original dc-energized position.

2. The combination as in claim 1 in which a trigger plate is pivotally mounted on the head of the control lever and connected to the solenoid plunger, and means on said trigger plate and engageable with said dog for shifting it to release position when the solenoid is actuated.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the spring pressed dog is movable vertically with relation to said locking mechanism, and interlocking jaw sections on said trigger plate and dog respectively for releasing the locking mechanism on each alternate stroke of the solenoid.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a jaw is provided on the frame, and resilient means engageable with said dog for forcing it into releasable, locking engagement with said jaw.

5. In a mechanism for holding the throttle of an internal combustion engine in pre-selected positions, said mechanism comprising, a solenoid, a frame, a locking mechanism pivotally mounted on said frame and actuated by said solenoid to force said locking mechanism to preselected position, means for positively locking said locking mechanism in set position on said frame, and means actuated by said solenoid on its alternate stroke to unlock said locking mechanism, and resilient means for returning the solenoid to off position.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 which the locking mechanism includes a releasable dog engageable with the frame to hold said dog in pro-selected position with the solenoid de-energized, means operable by said solenoid for releasing said dog, and means for returning said mechanism to original position and the solenoid to off" position.

7. The combination defined in claim 5 in which the control lever is pivotally mounted on the frame, a spring pressed dog mounted on said lever and releasably engageable with said frame, said solenoid swinging the head of the control lever outwardly to permit engagement of said dog with said frame, and means actuated on each alternate stroke of the solenoid to release said dog and permit the mechanism to return to off position.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which a trigger plate is pivotally mounted on the control lever and engageable with said dog when actuated, to force said dog out of engagement with the frame, and resilient means for returning the mechanism to original position and the solenoid to off position.

9. In a mechanism for holding the throttle of an internal combustion engine in pre-selected positions, said mechanism comprising, a solenoid, a frame, a locking mechanism pivotally mounted on said frame and comprising a throttle control lever, including a head, a spring pressed dog mounted on said head and releasably engageable with said frame, a trigger plate mounted on said head and flexibly connected to said solenoid for actuating said dog and forcing it to pre-selected position and positively lock the dog in set position on the frame, means aciuatad by said solenoid on its alternate stroke to unlock said dog, and resilient means for returning said solenoid to off position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A THROTTLE SETTING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES COMPRISING, A SOLENOID HAVING A FRAME MOUNTED THEREON, A LOCKING MECHANISM ROCKABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND INCLUDING A THROTTLE CONTROL LEVER, SAID MECHANISM HAVING A SPRING PRESSED DOG RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FRAME, MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID SOLENOID TO SWING THE MECHANISM TO LOCKED POSITION WITH SAID FRAME AND SET THE THROTTLE IN PREDETERMINED POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT, MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID LOCKING MEANS WHEN THE SOLENOID IS AGAIN ENERGIZED, AND RESILIENT MEANS FOR FORCING SAID LOCKING MECHANISM AND SOLENOID TO ORIGINAL DE-ENERGIZED POSITION. 